Germany move into semis

Bastian Schweinsteiger scored one and set two up as Germany took advantage of Portugal's frailties in defence to book their place in the Euro 2008 semi-finals with a 3-2 win.

The Bayern Munich winger swept home the opener in the 23rd minute before whipping in two great free-kicks to lay goals on a plate for Miroslav Klose, four minutes later, and Michael Ballack just after the hour mark.

Portugal, whose defending was dreadful at those set-pieces, had made it 2-1 when Nuno Gomes forced a shot home in the 40th minute but their bid to make the semis for a third successive tournament failed, despite Helder Postiga's 87th-minute consolation.

Germany will play the winner of Friday's quarter-final between Croatia and Turkey in the last four, back here in Basle next Wednesday.

Lukas Podolski, who had been doubtful with a calf injury, created the opener as he burst down the left and sent in a dangerous low cross which Schweinsteiger tapped home at the near post in the 22nd minute.

Four minutes later, Germany doubled their advantage when man of the match Schweinsteiger floated in a free-kick and Klose glanced a tidy header past Ricardo.

Portugal then suffered a further blow when Joao Moutinho hobbled off with a knee injury, to be replaced by Raul Meireles.

Gomes picked a fine time to bag his first goal of the tournament to halve the deficit in the 40th minute, reacting first to fire into the bottom-left corner via the right boot of Christoph Metzelder after Jens Lehmann had parried a Ronaldo blast.

Germany re-opened their two-goal advantage in the second half as Ballack met Schweinsteiger's free-kick from the left and - with the help of a slight push in the back of his Chelsea team-mate Paulo Ferreira - made space to head past Ricardo.

Nani set up fellow substitute Postiga give Portugal hope but there was to be no grand finale for Portugal and Scolari, as Germany - even without their coach on the touchline - held on.